Monthly Archives: September 2007

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – The FBI is reviewing a white supremacist Web site that purports to list the addresses of five of the six black teenagers accused of beating a white student in Jena and “essentially called for their lynching,” an agency spokeswoman said Saturday.

Sheila Thorne, an agent in the FBI’s New Orleans office, said authorities were reviewing whether the site breaks any federal laws. She said the FBI had “gathered intelligence on the matter,” but declined to further explain how the agency got involved.

CNN first reported Friday about the Web site, which features a swastika, frequent use of racial slurs, a mailing address in Roanoke, Va., and phone numbers purportedly for some of the teens’ families “in case anyone wants to deliver justice.” That page is dated Thursday.

The Rev. Al Sharpton said in a statement Saturday that some of the families have received “almost around the clock calls of threats and harassment,” and called on Gov. Kathleen Blanco to intervene.

A Blanco spokeswoman said the governor had asked law enforcement – primarily state police – to investigate.

“These people need more than an investigation. They need protection,” the Rev. Jesse Jackson said. He said his organization would be in touch with President Bush‘s nominee for attorney general, Michael Mukasey.

“This is a test for the disposition of the Department of Justice to serve as an intervenor and a deterrent” to hate crimes and discrimination, Jackson said. He said federal marshals should protect the families.

Carolas Purvis, whose number was among three listed on the Web site, said she did not feel in danger. Purvis is the aunt of Bryant Purvis, who has yet to be arraigned. She said she has received a number of calls, some from people who say nothing, others to let her know that her number had been put on the site. One, Friday night, used the N-word to her young son, she said.

A dispatcher for the LaSalle Parish Sheriff’s Department said no one in the office Saturday could say whether any threats had been reported.

Of the two other numbers listed as “active” on the Web site, one was not answered Saturday; the other yielded a constant busy signal.

On Thursday, thousands of demonstrators marched in a civil rights demonstration in support of the so-called Jena 6. The six black teens were arrested after a December attack on a white student – the culmination of fights between blacks and whites.

Of the six teens arrested, five initially were charged with attempted second-degree murder; charges for four have been reduced as they were arraigned. Charges against the sixth teen, booked as a juvenile, are sealed.

Mychal Bell is the only one to have been tried so far. A state appeals court recently threw out his conviction for aggravated second-degree battery, saying he couldn’t be tried as an adult. He remained in jail pending an appeal.

William A. “Bill” White, listed as the Web site’s editor and commander of the American National Socialist Workers Party, did not immediately answer an e-mail to his address. Calls to one of the two William Whites listed in Roanoke were not answered; the other said he was not involved with the site.

Blanco said Saturday that harassing families involved in the case “cannot and will not be tolerated.”

“Public attacks on private citizens done out of ignorance and hatred is appalling, and anyone who stoops to such unspeakable persecution will be investigated and subject to the full penalty of law,” she said in a statement.

Saddam killed all the Mandela’s huh?!?!? Man, this is one of the crazyiest clips of Bush I’ve ever seen. Where are his speech writers???? What do his handlers do…just stand around and smile at him? This is straight dumb…absolutely.

First of all, if you don’t know sarcasm when you hear it…you are a dumb ass. Secondly, lots of people are on the street that whole communities think are guilty as sin, OJ isn’t the only one. Thirdly, the man is assumed to be guilty! Is that Sh** fair? Sure, if you are guilty…go to jail…don’t pass go…etc. Can citizen get the benefit of the doubt? I guess not. Thank God there is a legal system in America…WAIT….DID I JUST SAY THAT…..????????

I’ve loved all of the all Black clothing I’ve seen on Jena 6 supporters around Washington DC today!!! It makes me so proud!

ENA, La. (AP) – Hundreds of black-clad protesters, from college students to veteran civil rights activists, descended on this small town for a rally Thursday in support of six black teenagers who were initially charged with attempted murder in the beating of a white classmate.

The Rev. Al Sharpton said it could be the beginning of the 21st century’s civil rights movement, one that would challenge disparities in the justice system.

“You cannot have justice meted out based on who you are rather than what you did,” Sharpton told CBS’s “The Early Show.”

The six were charged a few months after the local prosecutor declined to charge three white high school students who hung nooses in a tree on their high school grounds. Five of the black teens were initially charged with attempted murder, but that charge was reduced to battery for all but one of them, who has yet to be arraigned; the sixth teen was charged as a juvenile.

“Six black kids indicted as adults for attempted murder, and the weapons charged in the indictment is their sneakers, this is the most blatant example of disparity in the justice system that we’ve seen,” Sharpton said Thursday. “You can’t have two standards of justice. We didn’t bring race in it, those that hung the nooses brought the race into it.”

District Attorney Reed Walters, breaking a long public silence, denied Wednesday that racism was involved.

He said he didn’t prosecute the students accused of hanging the nooses because he could find no Louisiana law under which they could be charged. “I cannot overemphasize what a villainous act that was. The people that did it should be ashamed of what they unleashed on this town,” Walters said.

In the beating case, he said, four of the defendants were of adult age under Louisiana law and the only juvenile charged as an adult, Mychal Bell, had a prior criminal record.

“This case has been portrayed by the news media as being about race,” he said. “And the fact that it takes place in a small southern town lends itself to that portrayal. But it is not and never has been about race. It is about finding justice for an innocent victim and holding people accountable for their actions.”

The white teen who was beaten, Justin Barker, was knocked unconscious, his face badly swollen and bloodied, though he was able to attend a school function later that night.

Bell, 16 at the time of the attack, is the only one of the “Jena Six” to be tried so far. He was convicted on an aggravated second-degree battery count that could have sent him to prison for 15 years, but the conviction was overturned last week when a state appeals court said he should not have been tried as an adult.

Thursday’s protest had been planned to coincide with Bell’s sentencing, but organizers decided to press ahead even after the conviction was thrown out. Bell remains in jail while prosecutors prepare an appeal. He has been unable to meet the $90,000 bond.

Thousands of people were expected at the rally, an event that was heavily promoted on black Web sites, blogs, radio and publications.

Students were coming from schools across the region, including historically black colleges like Morehouse College, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, Howard University, Hampton University and Southern University.

Tina Cheatham missed the civil rights marches at Selma, Montgomery and Little Rock, but she had no intention of missing another brush with history. The 24-year-old Georgia Southern University graduate drove all night to reach tiny Jena in central Louisiana.

“It was a good chance to be part of something historic since I wasn’t around for the civil rights movement. This is kind of the 21st century version of it,” she said.

Others supported the effort but worried that it could erode race relations in Jena even further.

“I don’t think it will cause any major confrontations,” said Odessa Hickman, 72, “but there is probably going to be some friendships lost.”

In Jena, with only 3,500 residents, some residents worried about safety. Hotels were booked from as far away as Natchez, Miss., to Alexandria, La.

Local officials said they would provide portable toilets, water and medical facilities to ensure the safety and comfort of those attending the rally. Sharpton, who helped organize the protest, met Bell at the courthouse Wednesday morning. He said Bell is heartened by the show of support and wants to make sure it stays peaceful.

“He doesn’t want anything done that would disparage his name – no violence, not even a negative word,” Sharpton said. – Associated Press writers Michael Kunzelman in Alexandria, La., and Errin Haines in Atlanta contributed to this story.

This Bamma said, “Don’t Laugh”…that’s the first thing I did. He must have a degree in reverse psychology or something. LOL Where did he get a pole? Online? On Ebay? Are they selling collapsible poles in the hood now. Is that the newest Ghetto accessory for the home? Did he buy it originally for his girl and he’s just giving her a show in return for all the stripping she’s been doing since he got her this pole for her birthday? Another example of how Negroes will buy anything. Are we consumer slaves…think about it. Who really gets all the money we work so hard for…Massa Mastercard. LOL! Oh, and Missy Visa.

My main problem is…why is your boy throwing out dollars??? The description on the video says “dont get it twisted cuz im wildin out wit my brothers this is only fa the ladies.” Ok, but are you sure you don’t mean the Trans-Ladies? LOL

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I know brothers get set up every day, but if you have a target on your back…you don’t need to get all vigliante about getting your stolen stuff back, OK O.J.?!?!?! With regard to the charges…who was kidnapped? Who? Fromong’s cell phone…is that what was kidnapped?

” Simpson faces 11 charges stemming from an alleged robbery last week in a Las Vegas hotel. Simpson and four co-defendants are accused of entering a room in the Palace Station Hotel and Casino and pointing guns at two men — Alfred Beardsley and Bruce Fromong — as they took sports memorabilia, along with Fromong’s cell phone and Beardsley’s cap and sunglasses.

The charges include multiple counts of first-degree kidnapping with a weapon, robbery with a weapon, burglary with a weapon, coercion and conspiracy to commit kidnapping and robbery. The kidnapping charges were added Tuesday.

Simpson said he entered the room with friends — one of whom was posing as a potential buyer — after being tipped off that some of his personal items were for sale there. He said his friends helped him carry the items from the room but said no guns were involved and denied a robbery occurred.

Police, however, said he orchestrated the incident and that the suspects had at least two guns, which authorities recovered during searches.

Beardsley told CNN’s “Larry King Live” that he was contacted last month by Thomas Riccio — a dealer and auctioneer of sports memorabilia — who said he had a client who wanted to buy some high-end Simpson items and would pay top dollar for them. Beardsley then called Fromong, who gave him a list of items he could provide.

Meanwhile, Riccio told King he called Simpson, told him Beardsley and Fromong had the items and the two had agreed to go the hotel room together, but that the alleged robbery was Simpson’s idea.” – CNN.com

You are not going to traumatize thousands of “good white folk” by being “innocent” of killing your wife and her “friend” and then write a book where in you account for how “you would have” done the deed in question, and think that a setup of major proportions is not on the way. OJ, you should have left the country years ago…France, Canada, somewhere. It was just a matter of time…Dayum.

All i have to say is, If you put your hands on a woman…you put your hands on a woman. Period. Unless you walk away, get in your car, and leave…you leave yourself open for drama. Sure, maybe this was the first time Weeks put his hands on his wife, ok. Maybe he hasn’t been cruel as noted in the divorce papers. However, first time or repeat offender…it’s obvious that this union is flawed. If a person doesn’t want to be with you…let them go. Too many abused women don’t accept this truth. Too many people who try to hold on to spouses who’ve lost the love don’t accept this. He should just trust the God he claims to know…whatever is for him is for him.
___________________________________________Video of the press conference

Atlanta Journal-Constitution | The husband of evangelist Juanita Bynum held a press conference Friday at his Duluth Church to tell the world he is not an abuser of women.

Thomas W. Weeks, 40, also a preacher, said he felt compelled to speak his peace after his famous wife announced to the public recently that she was “the new face of domestic violence.”

Weeks, who faces felony charges for allegedly beating, choking and stomping his wife to the ground at a hotel parking lot on Aug. 21, said there are “two sides to every story.”

“I want to be clear in saying I do not condone in any way, shape or form violence of any kind towards women,” said Weeks in a conference room at Global Destiny Church of Duluth. “My role has always been to operate as a protector and not as an aggressor. I have walked away from many situations between the two of us, just like I walked away that night.”

Weeks said he and Bynum, 48, were trying to reconcile the night before the alleged attack. They separated in June.

“I was with my wife the entire night and felt that our love for each other was going to get us through these hard times,” Weeks said.

On the day of the alleged attack, Weeks said he went to the hotel restaurant because his wife needed help. Weeks said Bynum had banned him from using her likeness at his church in June when they separated. But on Aug. 21, Weeks said, Bynum asked to return to Global Destiny Church to raise money for her mentorship classes.

“She shared her urgency that we meet that night because she needed to solidify the location to make her commercials,” he said.

Bynum has said she was beaten that night and that she had a stormy relationship with Weeks that included pushing and shoving. She filed for divorce on Monday, claiming “cruel treatment” as the grounds.

Weeks said the facts of the criminal case will come out at the appropriate time. He said he still wants to avoid a divorce.

“In the last five years, I have always loved my wife and have been nothing but faithful to her,” he said. “I understand that my silence to date has given me the perception of guilt, but understand that it was because my belief in the sacredness of marriage and hopes of true and full reconciliaiton as to why I kept silent.”

Bynum and Weeks were married July 22, 2002. Weeks said he was notified of the June separation by a fax.

Weeks’ attorney, Randy Kessler, said Bynum turned down an offer to mediate the divorce privately. There is no prenuptial agreement, Kessler said.

“This is not a case about money,” Kessler said. “He has had his mind on the relationship. Legally, I could advise him he is entitled to alimony, but he would probably be upset at me if I mentioned it.”

Weeks said he hopes his wife will not re-file the divorce petition in Gwinnett, but added he will live with it if he must.

“I would like Juanita to know that I respect but regret her decision for divorce . . . I am praying God’s best for her.”

“It’s wrong for a DA to come in and talk to kids who have not yet committed a crime and make that kind of threat. Then, for him to file an outrageous charge of attempted murder against these students after the next fight in the case says that he had it out for these kids,” said Dr. Watkins. “That represents a gross abuse of his power as a prosecutor.”

Dr. Watkins, working through the popular African-American website, YourBlackWorld.com has also spoken with Santita Jackson, the daughter of Rev. Jesse Jackson about ways to proceed in the case. “The goal is to find a way to make people aware of the fact that freeing 6 kids is only the tip of the iceberg,” says Watkins, who is seeking an investigation into Walters and the entire Louisiana justice system.

“This protest by Marc Lamont Hill and myself is an effort to seek justice for the other hundreds of thousands of African-Americans who went through the same situation without any media attention.”
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University. He speaks regularly in media on issues related to people of color, including CNN, ESPN, FOXNews and MSNBC. For more information, please visitwww.BoyceWatkins.com. Email info@boycewatkins.com or call (502) 640-8155 for interviews.

Black Star Publisher’s Note: We must all act now! The six teenagers are facing 80-100 years in prison without parole. They range in age from 15-17 years old.

Their names are: Bryant Purvis, Jesse Beard, Carwin Jones, Mychal Bell, Theodoore Shaw and Rovert Bailey. Mychal Bell was recently convicted of aggravated battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery. An all-white jury took less than 2 days to convict him. He faces up to 22 years in prison. His sentencing is set for Sept. 20, 2007

Jennifer Hudson is likely to sign on to play Carrie Bradshaw’s assistant in “Sex and the City: The Movie”

The singer and actress, 25, will portray the assistant to Sarah Jessica Parker’s shoe-obsessed characte, and is in final negotiations with the movie’s producers about details of her role, Variety is reporting.

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It’s good to see that I’m not the only one seeing all of the Gentrifiction that is changing the Chocolate City into the “White Chocolate” or “Swirl” City. Check the stats people…check the stats. Long term residents…hold on to your homes in DC!!! You are a dying breed. Black folks, stop moving to PG…as if it’s better. You know that all the Section 8 and Voucher housing is moving to PG NOW!!! Wake up!

Newsday.com | WASHINGTON – Much has changed since Ben’s Chili Bowl opened nearly 50 years ago on a bustling strip known as America’s Black Broadway for its thriving black-owned shops and theaters.

Back then, the diner was a popular hangout for black bankers, doctors and blue-collar workers. Jazz greats Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald could be found enjoying chili half-smokes and milkshakes after performing at nearby clubs.

Now, the crowd at the Washington landmark is sometimes mostly white, reflecting a neighborhood metamorphosis characterized by high-end condominiums and businesses like Starbucks.

“Sometimes you look around and wonder, ‘Where are all the black people?’” said Virginia Ali, who opened the diner with her husband, Ben, in 1958.

A similar transformation is happening across Washington as the black population declines and more white residents and other ethnic groups move in. Demographers say if the trend continues the District of Columbia could lose its longtime majority-black status within 10 years. The changes are shaking up city politics, reshaping neighborhoods and displacing longtime residents.

Washington’s black population peaked at 71 percent in 1970 as tens of thousands of white residents left for the suburbs, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But by 2006, the estimated number of black residents had fallen to 57 percent.

At the same time, the population of white residents, which plunged from 65 percent in 1950 to 27 percent 30 years later, is growing. By 2006, the census estimated that 38 percent of D.C. residents were white. The city’s Asian and Hispanic populations also are climbing.

Analysts attribute the shift to lower-income and middle-class black residents leaving for the suburbs while young white professionals and others able to afford expensive housing are moving in. The newcomers to D.C. are being lured by a robust economy, new condos and a chance to escape worsening highway congestion.Click here for the rest of this article